JP2000032174A - Call tariff informing method and telephone terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inform a call tariff at a current time point of a busy portable telephone. SOLUTION: When a user of a portable telephone set 10A demands a call tariff display while talking on the phone, the portable telephone set 10A transmits demand of call tariff information including information necessary for calculating the call tariff to a charge information management station 40 by way of a base station 20A and a repeater station 30. The charge information management station 40 calculates the call tariff at a present point of time of the portable telephone set 10A, and transmits the call tariff information including the information necessary for calculating this call tariff and the call tariff afterwards to the portable telephone set 10A by way of the repeater station 30 and the base station 20A. The portable telephone set 10A displays the call tariff at the present point of time on the basis of this call tariff information, calculates the call tariff at the point of time every time a specified time passes and displays it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a call charge notification method for notifying a user currently talking on a telephone terminal of a current call charge upon request, and to the telephone terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a mobile phone has been notified of a call charge when a call is disconnected. For example,
When requesting disconnection of a call, the user operates the keypad of the mobile phone to input the user disconnection request. The mobile phone transmits a disconnection request message to the base station based on the user disconnection message. The base station receiving the disconnection request message collects the call charge information, adds the call charge information to the disconnection confirmation message, and transmits the message to the mobile phone. Upon receiving the disconnection confirmation message, the mobile phone displays the call charge on the display based on the call charge information added to the disconnection confirmation message. This allows mobile phone users to:
After the end of the call, I was able to know the call charge from the start of the call to the end of the call.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned method is a method of notifying the call charge after the call is disconnected, so that the user may reach the current charge amount during the call. There is a drawback in that even if one wants to know whether the call is being made, the call charge cannot be known. A calling user who pays for a call often wants to know the call charge during a call.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and, when a telephone terminal user desires, a method for notifying a user of the current telephone charge even during a telephone call, and the telephone terminal. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a communication system including a plurality of telephone terminals and a base station for accommodating the plurality of telephone terminals and performing connection switching. In the method, the method comprises the steps of: transmitting, to the base station, a request for call charge information indicating a current call charge when a request for call charge display is input during a call; and Generating the call charge information of the telephone terminal when receiving the request and transmitting the call charge information to the talk terminal; and displaying the current call charge indicated by the call charge information when the telephone terminal receives the call charge information. It is characterized by including.

Further, the present invention provides an input means for inputting a call charge display request, and a request for call charge information indicating a current call charge when a request for display of the call charge is input by the input means. Transmitting and receiving means for receiving call rate information for the request transmitted from the base station, and transmitting and receiving the call rate information based on the call rate information received by the transmitting and receiving means. Display means for displaying a fee.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a call charge notification system to which a call charge notification method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In this system, when a user of a mobile phone requests display of the current call rate during a call, the base station sends call rate information on the call rate to the mobile phone in response to the request, and the mobile phone transmits the call rate information. The current call rate is displayed on the display based on the information, and thereafter, the call rate is calculated every predetermined time and displayed on the display.

In FIG. 1, a portable telephone 10A is a base station.
A base station that transmits voice signals etc. wirelessly within the communication range of 20A
20A, and receives an audio signal and the like transmitted by radio from the base station 20A. The base station 20A receives an audio signal or the like transmitted wirelessly from the mobile phone 10A, transmits it to the relay station 30, receives an audio signal or the like transmitted from the relay station 30 and transmits it to the mobile phone. 10A
Is transmitted by wireless. Mobile phones 10B, 10
C is the same as the mobile phone 10A, and the base station 20B,
20C is the same as base station 20A.

The relay station 30 exchanges connections with the mobile phones 10A to 10C and the like.
It transmits billing information (for example, distance information, call start time, call end time, etc.) relating to a call charge of ~ 10C to the billing information management station 40. The charging information management station 40
The accounting information of each of the mobile phones 10A to 10B is collectively managed, the call charges at the present time (request time) are calculated according to the request from the mobile phones 10A to 10B, and the relay station 30 and the base stations 20A to 20C together with predetermined information. Is transmitted to the requesting mobile phone via the Internet.

Next, the operation of the call fee notification system shown in FIG.
A, when the user is connected via the relay station 30 and the base station 20B and is in a call, and the user of the mobile phone 10A, which is the caller, requests the base station to notify the current call charge. An example will be described below with reference to the operation explanatory diagram of FIG.

When the user of the mobile phone 10A wants to know the current call charge during a call, the user operates the keypad or the like of the mobile phone 10A to input a user call charge request for requesting the display of the call charge. . Upon detecting the user call charge request, the mobile phone 10A generates a base station request message including its own mobile phone number, the contents of the user call charge request, and transmits the message to the base station 20A by radio. This transmission is performed in a manner that does not disturb the call, for example, using a control channel. When the base station 20A receives the base station request message transmitted from the mobile phone 10A, the base station 20A
The information is transmitted to the charging information management station 40 via 30.

When receiving the base station request message from the relay station 30, the charging information management station 40 extracts the charging information of the mobile telephone 10A from the charging information of all the mobile telephones managed collectively, and uses this charging information. Calculate the current call charge according to a predetermined procedure. For example, the charging information management station 40 determines the distance information provided from the relay station 30 indicating the distance between the calling mobile phone 10A and the called mobile phone 10B and the call start time (when the amount per unit time differs depending on the time zone). ) To calculate the basic unit time and the amount per unit time according to the predetermined rules, count up the frequency meter for each basic unit time, and calculate the current call charge from the value of the frequency meter and the amount per unit time. calculate.

The billing information management station 40 calculates the current call rate and predetermined information (for example, basic unit time,
It generates call charge information including the amount per unit time, the elapsed time after counting up, and the like, and transmits this to the base station 20A via the relay station 30. Here, the basic unit time is the time for counting up the frequency meter of the call charge, and the amount per unit time is the call charge per basic unit time. For example, in the case of 10 minutes for a local call for 3 minutes, 3 minutes is the basic unit time, 10 yen is the amount per unit time, and a call charge of 10 yen is added every 3 minutes. In addition, the elapsed time after the count-up is the elapsed time from when the call charge frequency meter is counted up.

Upon receiving the call rate information from the relay station 30, the base station 20A generates a base station response message including the mobile phone number of the mobile phone 10A, the call rate information, and the like, and transmits this message to the mobile phone 10A wirelessly. I do. This transmission is
It is performed in a manner that does not disturb the call, for example, using a control channel. Upon receiving the base station response message transmitted from the base station 20A, the mobile phone 10A extracts the call charge information from the base station response message and displays the current call charge included in the call charge information on the display. Thus, the user of the mobile phone 10A can know the current call charge during the call.

The mobile telephone 10A calculates the telephone charge at each point in time every time a predetermined time elapses, using the telephone charge information. For example, a predetermined time (basic unit time-elapsed time after count-up) has elapsed from the reception of the call charge information (the charging information management station 40 shown in FIG. 1).
At the time when the frequency counter of the mobile phone 10A is counted up next) and at each time when the basic unit time elapses from that time, the amount per unit time is added to the call charge at the previous time. Calculate the call charge at the time. The mobile phone 10A displays the calculated call fee on the display. With this, the mobile phone 10
User A can make a call while monitoring call charges, which increase over time. Note that, in order to simplify the configuration of the mobile phone, a function of calculating a call charge at each time may be omitted.

Next, the portable telephone 10A shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail. The mobile phones 10B and 10C are the same as the mobile phone 10A. Fig. 3 shows the mobile phone 10A
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the above. In FIG. 3, a radio transmitting / receiving unit 12 modulates an audio signal or the like output from a control unit 13, transmits the modulated signal to a base station 20A shown in FIG. The audio signal and the like transmitted at the radio frequency are received, demodulated, and output to the control unit 13.

The control section 13 controls the operation of each section constituting the portable telephone according to a predetermined procedure. For example, the audio signal output from the handset 14 and the predetermined information output from the keypad 15 are subjected to predetermined signal processing and output to the wireless transmission / reception unit 12,
A predetermined signal processing is performed on the voice signal and information output from the
And the like, and outputs the call charge calculated by the call charge calculation unit 17 to the display 16.

The handset 14 is a handset and a handset for making a call with the other party, and a keypad 15 is used to operate a key or the like to transmit an operation instruction to the control unit 13 or to the base station. This is for inputting information and the display 16
Displays predetermined information output from the control unit 13. The call charge calculation unit 17 uses the storage unit 171 for temporarily storing call charge information transmitted from the charging information management station 40 shown in FIG. And a calculation unit 172 for calculating the current call charge according to the above procedure and outputting the calculated call charge to the control unit 13.

Next, the operation of the portable telephone 10A shown in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. When the user of the mobile phone 10A on the calling side wants to know the current call charge during a call, the user operates the keypad 15 to input a user call charge request to the control unit 13. When detecting the user call charge request (step S11 in FIG. 4), the control unit 13 generates a base station request message including its own mobile phone number, the contents of the user call charge request, and outputs the message to the wireless transmission / reception unit 12. . Wireless transceiver
The base station request message input to 12 is transmitted to the base station via the antenna 11 (step S12).

When the base station receives this base station request message, as described with reference to FIG. 2, it generates a base station response message including call charge information for the mobile phone 10A, and transmits this to the mobile phone 10A. . The transmitted base station response message is input to the control unit 13 via the antenna 11 of the mobile phone 10A and the wireless transmission / reception unit 12, and is transmitted to the control unit 13.
Extracts the call charge information from the base station response message (step S13). Then, the control unit 13 sends the current call rate included in the call rate information to the display 16 to display the call rate (step S14).
), And sends the call charge information to the call charge calculation unit 17 to instruct the start of call charge calculation.

The call charge calculation unit 17 temporarily stores the call charge information sent from the control unit 13 in the storage unit 171 and uses the call charge information each time a predetermined time elapses to call the charge at each time. Is calculated. For example, the calculation unit 172 of the call charge calculation unit 17 reads the basic unit time and the elapsed time after counting up from the storage unit 171, and calculates the difference time T (T = basic unit time−elapsed time after counting up).
Is calculated. Then, the current time is read from the built-in clock, and when a time T has elapsed from the current time, the built-in reset counter is counted up. Since then
This counter counts up every time the basic unit time elapses.

Each time the counter is counted up, the calculation unit 172 stores the call charge Y1 stored in the storage unit 171 earlier.
And the amount Y2 per unit time are read out, and the amount Y2 per unit time is added to the amount Y1 of the call to calculate a new call charge Y3 at the present time (at the time of counting up). Then, the new call charge Y3 is output to the control unit 13, and the call charge Y1 stored in the storage unit 171 is updated with the new call charge Y3. As described above, every time the basic unit time elapses, the call charge calculation unit 17 calculates the call charge at that time and outputs it to the control unit 13.

The controller 13 outputs a new call charge Y3 to the display 16 every time a new call charge Y3 is input from the call charge calculator 17, and replaces the previously displayed call charge Y2 with a new call charge Y3. Is displayed. This allows the user of the mobile phone to make a call while constantly monitoring the call charge that increases as the call time elapses.

During the period when the mobile phone 10A is calculating the call charge, for example, the mobile phone 10B of the other party shown in FIG. 1 moves from the service area of the base station 20B to the service area of the base station 20C. When the distance between the two mobile phones changes, and the basic unit time and the amount per unit time on which the call charge calculation is based change, the charging information management station 40 shown in FIG. Time and amount per unit time are transferred to mobile phone 10A via relay station 30 and base station 20A.
Send to The control unit 13 of the mobile phone 10A outputs the changed basic unit time and the amount per unit time transmitted from the base station to the call charge calculation unit 17.

The calculation unit 172 of the call charge calculation unit 17 includes a control unit
When the changed basic unit time and the amount per unit time are received from step 13 (step S18 in FIG. 4), the basic unit time and the amount per unit time previously stored in the storage unit 171 are replaced with the changed amount ( Step S19), the built-in counter is set to count up with the changed basic unit time as a cycle. The calculation unit 172 calculates the call charges based on the basic unit time and the amount per unit time thereafter (steps S15 to S19). If it is not necessary to display the call charge every predetermined time, the call charge calculation unit 17 is omitted. In this case, the mobile phone user
Each time a call charge display is required, a user call charge request is entered.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when a user of a mobile phone requests display of the current call rate during a call, the base station transmits the call rate information to the mobile phone, The telephone displays the current call rate based on the call rate information, and calculates and displays the current call rate at every elapse of a predetermined period of time. You can make a call while watching the charge. This embodiment is a case where the present invention is applied to a wireless communication system having a mobile phone as a terminal.
The present invention is also applicable to a wired communication system to which a wired terminal such as a telephone terminal is connected.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a user of a telephone terminal requests a display of the current telephone charge during a telephone call, the telephone charge information is transmitted from the base station to the telephone terminal. Based on the call rate information, the current call rate is displayed, and the call rate at that time is calculated and displayed every time a predetermined time elapses. You can talk while watching.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a call charge notification system to which a call charge notification method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram of the call fee notification system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the mobile phone shown in FIG.

4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the mobile phone shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10A to 10C Mobile phone 11 Antenna 12 Radio transceiver 13 Control unit 14 Handset 15 Keypad 16 Display 17 Call charge calculation unit 20A to 20C Base station 30 Relay station 40 Charging information management station

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A communication fee notification method for a communication system including a plurality of telephone terminals and a base station that accommodates the plurality of telephone terminals and performs connection exchange, the method comprising: Transmitting a request for call charge information indicating a current call charge to the base station when the request is input during a call; and call charge information for the telephone terminal when the base station receives the request. And transmitting the call fee to the telephone terminal; and displaying the current call fee indicated by the call fee information when the telephone terminal receives the call fee information. Notification method. 2. A call charge notification method for a communication system including a plurality of telephone terminals and a base station that accommodates the plurality of telephone terminals and performs connection exchange, the method comprising: A step of transmitting a request for call charge information including a call charge at the current time when the request is input during a call and information necessary for calculating a subsequent call charge to the base station, and the base station, Upon receiving the request, calculate the current call charge of the telephone terminal, generate call charge information including the calculated current call charge and information necessary to calculate the subsequent call charge, and send the call charge information to the telephone terminal. Transmitting, and when the telephone terminal receives the call charge information, displays the current call charge based on the call charge information, and displays the current call charge every time a predetermined time elapses thereafter. Calculating and displaying the call charge. 3. An input means for inputting a call charge display request, and a plurality of telephone terminals receiving a call charge information request indicating a current call charge when the call charge display request is input by the input means. Transmitting and receiving means for transmitting to the base station performing the connection exchange and receiving the call rate information for the request transmitted from the base station; and a current call rate based on the call rate information received by the transmitting and receiving means. And a display means for displaying a message. 4. An input means for inputting a request for display of a call charge, and information required for calculating a call charge at the present time when the request for display of a call charge is input by the input means and a subsequent call charge. Transmitting / receiving means for transmitting a request for call charge information to a base station which accommodates a plurality of telephone terminals and performs connection exchange, and receives call charge information for the request transmitted from the base station; Calculating means for calculating the current call charge at each time after a predetermined time elapses based on the call charge information received in step (a), and the current call charge included in the call charge information received by the transmission / reception means and calculated by the calculation means And display means for displaying the set call charge.